Skating@Life Sponsorship Document

Science Centre

Skating@Life Sponsorship Opportunities Centre for Life, Newcastle upon Tyne

Winter 2012 - 2013

Introduction

Skating@Life, part of the Centre for Life, is an open air ice rink based in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne just outside the Life Science Centre. Located next to Newcastle’s Central Station, it has quickly become an integral part of NewcastleGateshead’s flourishing Winter Festival attracting all sectors of the market from school and group visits to corporate entertaining.

Skating@Life is now in its twelfth year, and is a well established and popular part of the region’s cultural identity.

Running for 15 weeks, Skating@Life is one of Europe’s longest running outdoor ice rinks, and this year will open

from Saturday 10th November 2012 until Sunday 24th February 2013. The rink attracts significant media coverage over the entirety of the season and we hold strong links with Metro Radio who help promote the rink regularly throughout the skating season.

The rink is situated on Times Square which attracts a significant daily footfall, as well as the 70,000+ skaters and 250,000 observers who use the ice rink. Approximately 5000 school children also enjoy curriculum linked activities within the Life Science Centre as well as a skating session.

Each year we also host skating lessons run by ITV’s Dancing on Ice star Susie Lipanova and offer a wide range of group and party ice skating packages – to find out more please visit our website life.org.uk As well as a twirl on the ice, visitors to Life also have the option to visit the Life Science Centre and enjoy our new exhibition the Curiosity Zone and new 4D Motion Ride. The Curiosity Zone is 100% hands on and designed to bring out your inner scientist and the 4D Motion Ride is a pulse racing, action packed adventure where visitors will feel every twist and turn as they hurtle through the landscape on screen.

Sponsorship package Due to the nature of Life as a unique venue, we can offer a whole range of bespoke sponsorship packages created to fulfill your specific requirements.

Our flexible approach allows us to provide a package that is unique and entirely suitable for your company’s needs and desires, whether it’s a small selection of the options listed below or a more comprehensive package.

These options are a guideline of what we are able to offer. ● 40 rink-side promo boards ● Branding of rink side marquee or external ice rink barriers ● Branding on poster sites in Times Square multi storey car park ● Branding on Power Points around the Science Centre ● Sampling opportunities ● Logo on our festive print and skating 2for1 vouchers ● Logo on our direct mail and email related correspondence ● Logo and details on our website plus links to your website ● Logo on ice steward uniforms ● Brand/logo inclusion on our advertising prime site outside Newcastle Central Station.

● PR –We supply a highly proactive and creative approach to promoting Skating@Life throughout the whole skating season and achieve regular TV, radio, press and online coverage. All media releases and coverage would feature a reference to your company as well as fantastic photo opportunities which can be branded with your message. ● Inclusion of your branding at the launch of our skating lessons with Susie Lipanova. ● The Centre for Life village also houses Digital nightclub, one of the city’s largest and most popular nightclubs, featuring regular student nights, one off events and live shows. There is scope for joint promotion and sampling opportunities to target this exuberant youth market who visit Times Square every week. ● Sponsor a school visit to the Centre and provide a unique and valuable educational experience for a school from the local community.

Cost We’re happy to discuss your individual requirements however as an estimate, the prices for sponsorship packages are as follows:

£500 + VAT per rink side board ● From £2000 + VAT for a rink side board and 2 extra options from the list above. ● From £5000 + VAT for 4 rink side boards and 3 extra options from the list above. ● £10,000 + VAT for all rink side promo boards. ● Approximately £20,000 + VAT for the whole branding ‘package’ (excluding extra ‘events’) ●

Centre for Life – background information Opened in 2000 on a derelict 10-acre site to the west of Newcastle Central Station, the Centre for Life is one of the most successful of the country’s 14 landmark projects founded to mark the new millennium.

Although pioneering research takes place here, most members of the public will know it as the home of the Life Science Centre, an award-winning visitor attraction exploring science through fun, hands-on exhibitions and events. Skating@Life, the outdoor ice rink that takes over Times Square for 15 weeks of the year, is an increasingly popular part of the Life ‘mix’.

Attracting over 220,000 visitors each year, the Centre delivers a diverse science communication programme. Features include live science shows in the Science Theatre; interactive exhibitions such as Human Life, comparing our ancestors’ world with our own, the Planetarium, showing a range of immersive films projected onto a domed ceiling; hands-on science workshops and demonstrations with energetic Science Explainers; and the 4D Motion Ride, offering an exhilarating excursion aboard a motion simulator.

In addition, we run a series of events and activities for adults and we are the lead partner in Newcastle ScienceFest.

Life is also the largest provider of formal taught science workshops in Europe, providing over 40,000 educational experiences to school students every year.

Life’s mission Life’s mission is to be the best place in the UK for enthusing and engaging everyone in science and to provide support and state-of-the-art facilities on site so that world-class scientific research in medicine can flourish.

Previous sponsors

The Sun The Evening Chronicle Real Radio Sunderland Empire Metro Radio Arena Nexus Newcastle Vipers

For further information please contact: Niamh Lightfoot Bookings Executive Centre for Life Times Square Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4EP t: (0191) 243 8223 e: niamh.lightfoot@life.org.uk

Newcastle ScienceFest Theatre Royal Northern Stage Snow & Rock The Gate NGI Eldon Square